Can You Really Create an Irresistible Brand on a Budget? Here’s Exactly How.
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Have you ever scrolled through Instagram and noticed a post that stopped you in your tracks? With your curiosity peeked you click over to the poster’s profile and get lost in their picture-perfect grid.
With its cohesive look and complimentary color palette, their feed has managed to pull you in. But something they said or did in their posts clicked with you. Instant follow…
That, my friends, is what you call effective branding.
You might be wondering if it’s possible to create a brand for your small business that’s just as compelling — without breaking the bank.
While it’s true that working with a professional brand designer can require a hefty investment, creating a strong brand that resonates with your audience doesn’t have to depend on the thickness of your wallet.
With a little creativity, resourcefulness, and dedication, you can also create an eye-catching brand that your audience will love.
Let’s dive into how you can achieve this in a budget-friendly way.
Step 1: Develop Your Brand’s Personality & Strategy
One of the biggest mistakes I see entrepreneurs make when starting a new business is jumping right into getting a logo designed.
“Starting a new business can be exciting, and jumping in head first with a new logo might seem like a logical step, but here’s the thing: a logo is NOT a brand. It’s really just a tiny part of what makes up your brand.”
Unfortunately, new business owners will often take their shiny new logo, upload it to their website and social media profiles, start posting like crazy, and get a flood of…crickets.
What could’ve gone wrong?
It can certainly help to have a “cool” logo and a consistent posting schedule, but those things come second to building trust and forming a strong connection with the right people — the ones who will relate to you, see the value in what you have to offer, and take action.
In today’s highly competitive market, it is important to have a solid understanding of what your brand is and isn’t, what you want it to be for your clients, and who your clients really are. Defining your brand's personality is crucial in this process as it impacts your logo design, the tone and voice of your brand, and its overall communication with the target audience.
Without this deep knowledge, you’ll have a difficult time connecting and providing an experience that will resonate.
And this can all be accomplished by first developing a strong brand strategy.
The most cost-effective solution would be to attempt to do-it-yourself. While there’s nothing wrong with taking this direction, it usually requires more time than most small business owners have time to devote. But if you’re determined to DIY your brand strategy, be sure to grab my FREE branding checklist; it will walk you through all the necessary steps.
>> Grab your checklist here <<
The second option is to have a professional brand strategist develop your brand strategy for you. This route will get your brand launched quicker and you can avoid the headache of trying to learn and implement effective strategy on your own.
>> Be sure to get in touch if you need a hand with brand strategy. We offer affordable brand strategy packages that can be customized based on your needs. We’d start with a FREE 30-minute consult and then book your strategy session if we’re a good fit. <<
Now, for the fun part…
Step 2: Create Your Brand Identity
This is indeed the fun part of brand development, but there are still two main objectives to keep in mind when creating the visual aspect of your brand’s identity.
Alignment and consistency.
So you know the brand strategy step I keep going on about?
While you’re designing your logo, color palette, and making font selections, be sure to put extra thought into what you discover about your business goals, brand personality, and the nuances of your audience.
An effective visual identity will not just look great; it will also align with your brand strategy.
For example, if the goal is to reach Millennials who identify as women, you might want to research what kind of aesthetic resonates with them and how you can weave that into your brand visually. What colors best speak to your brand’s personality? What kind of emotion are you trying to elicit? Should you go the trendy route or design for longevity?
The second objective is to ensure that there is consistency in everything that visually represents your brand. Your logo, color palette, and fonts should all work together to create a cohesive brand image.
“Now that you know your brand down to it’s core, you can easily create a cohesive brand identity without breaking the bank. ”
Now, that your brand’s foundation is established with a solid brand strategy, you can quickly and easily design your brand identity with a little help from AI.
A really great option for DIYing your brand is Fiverr’s Logo Maker. The cool thing about Fiverr’s Logo Maker is that you can actually design an entirely unique brand identity and NOT just a logo. You’ll begin with a logo designed by one of Fiverr’s top designers and then it is adjusted based on your input using AI technology. In just minutes you can generate logo designs tailored to your business, complete with brand colors, fonts, brand guidelines, and even social media assets.
You can also get various logo files in different formats for your website, print, and social media use — basically everything you need for a consistent brand presence.
Some of you might be thinking, “Well what about Canva?” I’m actually a fan of Canva for certain visual assets, just not for brand identity design; a lot of their logo design elements have been overused by other businesses and creators. The point is to create a unique brand on a budget, and unfortunately, that’s more difficult to accomplish in Canva unless you have good design skills to really make it yours.
Step 3: Build Your Website with a Website Builder
Some people ask if they even really need a website for their business, and my answer is always the same.
It depends.
Some businesses can be run completely free of a website and rely solely on social media, foot traffic, or word of mouth, but many businesses, especially those in the B2B or service industries are expected to have a professional website for clients and customers to visit.
When we design custom websites for clients, Squarespace is our preferred website builder. But even if you have no design experience, you can still create beautiful Squarespace websites with ease.
Image via Squarespace
Take their drag-and-drop interface for instance; it’s so intuitive that even a complete beginner can build a gorgeous website in no time. The templates are stunning and can be customized according to the brand guidelines you created in Step 2 (wink).
Plus, Squarespace is an all-in-one platform, so the tech headache that usually comes with designing a website is basically non-existent. Hosting and domain registration is taken care of for you. This means less stress for you and more time to focus on building your business.
Creating a compelling brand on a budget is not just a dream—it’s entirely possible with the right approach. By starting with a solid brand strategy, developing a cohesive visual identity, and building a professional website, you can make a significant impact without spending a fortune.
Remember, the essence of a strong brand lies in understanding and connecting with your audience. With creativity, dedication, and smart planning, your small business can stand out in the crowded marketplace. So don't be afraid to experiment, get creative, and let your personality shine through.
And most importantly, have fun with it! Building a brand is an exciting journey!
If you ever get stuck or need some extra guidance, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm always here to help fellow entrepreneurs create brands they love.
